Rail-joint



,(No Model!) I F. J. PRIBYL. RAIL JOINT No. 549,154. Patented Nov.5,1895.

ATTORIVEW I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS J. PRIBYL, OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 549,154, datedNovember 5, 1895.

Application filed March 9, 1895. Serial No. 541,143. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS J. PRIBYL, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Hazleton, county of Luzerne, and State ofPennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements inRail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in whichsimilar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in. all thefigures.

This invention relates to rail-joints for railways, and has for itsobject to provide an improved construction of rail and plate, by meansof which lateral shifting or separation and upward movement of the railswill be prevented and longitudinal expansion thereof permitted withoutwholly separating the ends; and, further, to provide such a device aswill permit of very ready and convenient construction and repair of aroad.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement ofparts, whereby the above-mentioned and other desirable results areattained, and hereinafter fully described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a deviceembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof upon theline a: 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar section upon the line y y,Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the rails separated.

In the practice of my invention I form one end of the rail A with asubstantially square vertical recess ain its head A at one side, leavingthe under surface of said head, beneath the same, in the form of atongue a, and a similar recess 6 in the base-flange a extending from thelongitudinal center of the rail or immediately in vertical alignmentwith the inner edge a of the recess a, outwardly to the edge of thebase-flange A The opposite end of the rail, and therefore the adjacentrail end B, is provided upon its head B with a tongue 0, registeringwith the recess a, said tongue being cut out upon the under surface toform a groove 0 to receive the tongue ct. Beneath said tongue 0 thebase-flange B is provided with a projecting tongue d, registering withand adapted to enter the recess 1), and, preferably, said recess 1)extends through one side of the web A of the rail A,

I and the tongue (I correspondingly projects half-way beyond the edge ofthe web B of the rail B, as best shown in Fig. 2.

In the upper surface of the flange A and in the under surface of thehead A, immediately adjacent to the web A opposite the recessed side ofthe rail, I form longitudinal grooves e c, as shown in section in Fig. 3and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4. In these grooves, which extendany desired distance within the edge of the rail, I insert the flanges),which are formed upon top and bottom of a fish-plate C, shaped tocorrespond with and closely fitthe under surface of the head A, saidplate being slid into the grooves from the end, the end thereof whichprojects beyond the groovese 6 being, of course, unprovided with theflanges f, and shaped as ordinarily. This fish-plate (J is secured tothe rail A, with an ordinary fish-plate 0 upon the opposite side of saidrail, by means of bolts D, extending therethrough and secured by thenuts D or otherwise, the interior of said plates, however, being securedto the rail B.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings. In laying the rails a sufficient space may be left between theends thereof to permit longitudinal expansion thereof to the greatestpossible degree without leaving an actual opening between the same, asthe car-wheel will strike the tongue 0 before leaving the end of therail A, said tongue 0 being supported by the tongue at beneath therecess a, and further by the plate 0, which, bearing under said tongueand upon the flanges A and B transmits the strain upon the tonguec tosaid base-flanges, and at the same time outward spraying of the rail Ais prevented by the tongues c and d. The plates 0 O, particularly theformer, which is inserted in the groovese c, are rigidly secured to therail A and laterallyimmovable by reason of such insertion in thegrooves, and said plates, being secured together, will rigidly grasp theweb 13 of the rail B; but by reason of said plates being secured only tothe rail A and not to said rail B in any manner whatsoever, longitudinalexpansion of saidrail is freely permitted, and, correspondingly, that ofthe rail A. As shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, I may extend theflange-tongue ('1 beyond the center of the web A The advantagesresultant from the use of the invention will be manifest to all who areconversant with the general class of devices to which the sameappertains.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a rail having a recess in its head at one side,with a tongue or shoulder thereunder, and a corresponding recess in itsbase flange extending to' the center of the web, of a rail having atongue projecting from the head thereof to register with the head-recessand rest upon the tongue or shoulder thereof, and a tongue projectingfrom the base flange of said rail outwardly from the center of its webto correspondingly engage the flanged recess to permit longitudinalexpansion of said rails, prevent lateral shifting or upward movementthereof and form a tight joint.

2. The combination, with a rail having a recess in its head at one side,with a tongue or shoulder beneath the same, and a corresponding recessin its base flange from the center of the web outwardly, andlongitudinal grooves inthe under surfaces of saidhead and the uppersurface of said base flange, and a rail having a tongue projecting fromits head to enter the head-recess of the adjacent rail and rest upon thetongue or shoulder thereof, and a corresponding tongue upon its baseflange from the center of its web outwardly to engage the flangedrecess; of a fish-plate having longitudinal flanges upon its upper andlower edges inserted in the grooves and corresponding in length therewith, and a fish-plate upon the opposite side of said rail, said' fishplates being secured together and to said rail by bolts and looselyclasping the opposite or tongued rail, whereby longitudinal expansion ofthe rails is per mitted, and whereby strain upon the head and tongue istransmitted to the base flan ges of both rails.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in pres ence of two witnesses, this 13th day of February, 1895.

FRANCIS .T. PRTBYL.

\Vitnesses:

PERCY '1. GRIFFITH, A. M. CUsAoK.

